Chocolate Topped Currant Cookies

Making the most of what I got

I felt like making some treats so I looked through my cupboard to see what I could rustle up. I found some currants, a few pieces of chocolate and a little left over baking ingredients.  The best thing about learning the basics of any recipe is that it provides the foundations for creativity.  I ended up with some pretty tasty cookies.

The original recipe was adapted from 'Sam Stern's Student Cookbook' (Walker Books, 2009)

Ingredients:

225g/ 8oz self raising flour (and a little extra for rolling dough), pinch of salt, 150g butter, 60g caster sugar, 50g icing sugar, 1 egg (beaten),  50g currants, 2oz milk chocolate, chocolate sprinkles.

Method:

1. Sift flour, salt into a bowl.
2. Cut in the butter.
3. Rub the butter, flour and salt with your fingers until the mix looks like breadcrumbs.

4. Add the sugar and mix.
5. Then mix in then beaten egg to make a dough.
6. Add the currants and mix in.
7. Roll into a ball and wrap in cling film.
8. Chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
9.  Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C / Gas 4.
10. Roll out the dough on a floured board and cut out cookie shapes.
11. Cook for 13 minutes until a light brown on a baking tray.
12. Cool on the tray.
13. When the cookies have cooled and hardened a little bit simmer some water in a pan and melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl on top of it.

14. When the chocolate has melted, drizzle or pour over cookies for desired decoration. Then shake the chocolate sprinkles on top.
15. Cool until chocolate sets.

Kiwi Banana Smoothie

Brave Gulps

This drink will not appeal to everyone.  It has a very sharp taste and leaves an interesting after taste.  I personally find it interesting, I recommend it  for nutritional purposes and a refreshing awakening agent.

Ingredients:

1 kiwi (peeled and chopped), 1 banana (peeled and chopped), 3 dollops of yoghurt, 1tsp maple syrup, 1tbsp flaxseed.

Method:

Blend all of these ingredients together and pour into a glass.

Salmon Rarebit

As I  have stated before one of my number one sayings is "Cheese on Bread", so any recipe I can find to jazz up this poor man's snack you best believe I will try it.  I have always wanted to cook salmon rarebit.  I think this was invented in Wales, apparently the Welsh peasants were not allowed to eat rabbits during a hunt so used melted cheese on their toast instead. Brilliant.  I always liked the Welsh :)

This recipe was adapted from Morrison's Magazine (Result Customer Communications, 2012)

Ingredients:

2 slices of soya and linseed bread, 100ml milk, 50g cheddar, 10g plain flour, 1tsp english mustard, a few drops of hot pepper sauce, 100g canned salmon (drained), rocket to serve.

Method:

1. Place the milk in a pan with the cheddar and flour.
2. Cook over a low heat and stir continuously until the mixture is thick and smooth.
3. Remove from the heat and add the mustard and salmon.
4. Toast the bread lightly on one side then spread the sauce on the over side and grill for 3 minutes.  It should be slightly brown.
5. Splash on a few drops of hot pepper sauce and serve with fresh rocket leaves.

Spicy Black Eyed Beans

West Indian Pasta

This is a really fantastic vegetarian meal.  It is very filling and full of flavour to get your taste buds tingling.  You do not always need a heavy rich sauce to accompany your pasta.  The West Indian flavours are enough to take on wholemeal pasta.  No cheese, no meat, just tomatoes, black eyed beans and some wicked flavours.

This recipe was adapted from Vegetarian Cooking (Combe Books, 1993)

Ingredients:

225g black eyed beans (drained), 4tbsps, 1 large onion (peeled and chopped), 2 garlic cloves (peeled and chopped), 1tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2tsp ground cumin, salt and pepper, a few drops of maggie liquid seasoning, 140ml water, 2tbsps tomato puree, 1tbsp soy sauce, 2 large tomatoes (chopped).

Method:

1.  Heat the oil and fry the onion and garlic for 5 minutes.
2.  When the onion and garlic are soft stir in the cinnamon, cumin and seasoning (including a little salt and pepper) and cook for a further 2 minutes.
3. Add the beans, water, tomato puree, soy sauce and tomatoes.
4. Stir and bring to the boil.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Season more to taste.

Woodland Egg and Smoked Salmon Salad

Seasonal Food

I had never cooked asparagus or deliberately cooked in season, unless for special occasions like Christmas, so I wanted to see what all of the fuss was about.  Now that I have done it I really understand the values of cooking in season.  The woodland salad I made was so fresh and the asparagus tasted lovely with the simple lemon dressing accompaniment. 

This recipe has been adapted from Sainsbury's Everyday Easy magazine (2012)

Ingredients:

1 medium egg, 3 asparagus stems, 1 handful of broad beans, a handful of watercress, 2 strips of smoked salmon (or as much as you desire), 1tsp olive oil, zest and juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4tsp black pepper.

Method:

1. Boil water in a  pan, enough to cover the egg.
2. Boil the egg for 10 minutes.
3. Drain and then run under a cold tap to cool.
4. Remove the shell then cut the egg into segments.
5. In another pan cook asparagus in boiling water for 3 minutes maximum.
6. Add the braod beans in the last minute.
7. Drain the vegetables and skin the broad beans.
8. Toss vegetables and watercress.
9. Cut the salmon then add this to the vegetables. (You can heat up the salmon before you add it to the salad.)
10. Serve on a plate with egg.
11. Mix oil, lemon juice, zest and black pepper, then drizzle over salad.

Easy Beef Chili Con Carne

With Love

My number one rule when cooking every meal is to cook with love.  If you don't believe in what you are cooking then it will not have that special something which puts a smile on your face as you take that first bite.  I have never cooked beef before because I do not eat red meat, but as I know how to make a good chili I believed I would be able to pull it off.  It is difficult to cook so many different recipes when you are on such a strict diet, but as long as you control yourself and learn how to alter recipes to suit your lifestyle then you can cook pretty much anything.  When cooking beef I used the same technique to cooking turkey mince.  It worked and I recieved very positive reviews.  I don't think I have converted myself to be a red meat eater, but I made sure I didn't offend red meat eaters.

This recipe has been adapted from the Asda Fit For Life recipe range

Ingredients:

250g extra lean minced beef, 3tsps sunflower oil, 1 large onion (chopped), 2 garlic clove (chopped), 500g passata, 1tbsp tomato puree, 2tsps chilli powder, 2tsps ground cumin, 1 red pepper (deseeded and chopped), 1tsp marjoram, 1tsp mixed herbs, 150g mushrooms, 410g tin kidney beans, 150ml vegetable stock, 1tsp ground black pepper, rice of choice to serve.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and when this is hot add the beef a little at a time.
2. Keep stirring so the beef does not stick to the pan, keep cooking until the beef has browned.
3. Start cooking the rice of choice as the packet instructs.
4. Add the onion and garlic then cook for 3 minutes.
5. Add the tomatoes, puree, spices, herbs, black pepper, red pepper, mushrooms, kidney beans and stock. 
6. Bring this to the boil then simmer for 20 minutes.
7. Season to taste and serve with rice.

Hot and Sweet Popcorn

Freeman Theatre Rage

When I go to the cinema sometimes I am left with no choice but to buy the cinema food.  When this happens I feel like Grandad Freeman from the TV Show The Boondocks who lets out his frustration over the high priced snacks and the over priced tickets. At the cinema the sweet popcorn is never sweet enough, never hot enough and sometimes you are never given enough for your money.   During a cosy film night in I decided I would make my own popcorn. My hot and sweet popcorn is the best popcorn I have ever tasted.  I had never made popcorn before but I  decided to buy some popping corn and try out a wicked hot and spicy flavour combination.  I was inspired by an advertisement for gourmet popcorn, but after reading the price I challenged myself to make cheaper, tastier popcorn then the flavourless brand you buy at the cinema.  It was a hit!  It cost less than a fiver to make and I have enough popping corn  for at least 6 more film nights.  That's what I call epic :)

Ingredients:

Roughly 100g popping corn, 1tbsp oil, 2tbsps butter,  1tbsp sugar, 2tsps ground cinnamon, 1tsp chili powder.

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan and when it is hot add the popping corn seeds.

2. Try and keep the heat constant and do not put the heat on too high. Make sure there is a lid over the pan.

3.  Remove the popcorn when the popping has stopped and put into a large bowl.

4. Melt the butter in a bowl and mix in the sugar, then add the cinnamon and chili powder.

5. When this has been mixed, pour over the popcorn slowly and a little at a time.

6. After each pour stir the popcorn so it is covered in the sauce.

7. Eat it sticky and hot. Make sure you pour over the popcorn when the popcorn is still hot so the mix sticks to the popcorn and gives it the perfect texture.